Church Planting, Pastor Residency, Care with Gospel and Micro-Businesses

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?
My family and I were invited to Little Rock to be a part of Fellowship Associates for their one-year church planting residence in 2014. We returned to Rwanda in the summer of 2015 with a vision to start Destiny Leadership and Church Planting Center. The center would serve to identify, equip and unleash leaders that would transform the nation. In the fall of 2016, we launched our first group of four men, three of them planting in different districts of Rwanda and one in Uganda. Fall 2017, our second class of three men began the residency program and commissioned in May 2018. With this strategy, our dream for God to plant at least one church in each of the 30 districts of Rwanda could, by God’s grace, become a reality! I am so thrilled by the multiplication effect! Fellowship’s prayers and support are invaluable in the pursuit of this dream for Rwanda.

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 2 Timothy 2:2 NIV

Church Planting, Leadership Development, Care with Gospel

HOW HAS GOD CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD THROUGH YOUR MINISTRY?
Our heavenly Father changed my view of the world through a challenge from His word in Matthew 9:36-38. In this passage, the words that spoke to my heart were “…had compassion…they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Because of this passage, our heavenly Father changed my view of the world to see a world without Christ to be a helpless world, like sheep (world) without a shepherd. The heartbeat behind Good News Bible Churches of Ghana is to do work of soul-winning, discipleship, and church-planting.

Child-Sponsorship, Church Planting, Seminary, Hospital, Care with Gospel, Education

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN GOD SHOW UP IN YOUR MINISTRY IN A SPECIAL WAY?
Africa New Life continues to grow as an organization on many levels. In the last year, the number of sponsored children has increased from 8400 to just over 9200, including nearly 800 students sponsored directly by members and friends of Fellowship. New Life Bible Church in Rubavu, where Fellowship sponsors so many children, has now been operating for one year with Pastor John Baptiste leading well. Attendance is strong, and many have come to faith for the first time or returned to Christ. The Dream Medical Center, a 65-bed hospital with an emphasis on women and children, will open in Kigali in September. Africa College of Theology continues to grow, training approximately. 230 pastors and ministry leaders in Bachelor’s Diploma and Certificate level ministry degrees this year. We have also introduced a mini Bible certificate that each of our sponsored students who graduate from high school complete during their gap year. This year there were 257 students in this program.

HOW HAS GOD CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD THROUGH YOUR MINISTRY?
Over the 44+ years of ministry, we have seen that while cultures vary and specific issues arise in different cultures, the basic needs of men and women are the same. They need God’s truth to transform their lives. They need a willingness to humble themselves before God, and a willingness to allow the Holy Spirit to show them areas to think differently, truly repent, and replace lies with Biblical truth. We all need to see how we are not only saved and forgiven in Christ but that we have His resurrection power to live in the Spirit and apply the truths that set us free. Discipleship is the felt need of the church globally.

Church Planting, Seminary, K-12 school, Hospital, Children’s Home, Care Ministries & Farming, Self-sustainability

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?
The Lord helped us start 37 mission stations and 13 church buildings in the past 10 years. Of over 1,000 ACA Seminary graduates in the past 40 years, most continue to work as pastors, teachers, evangelists, and pioneering missionaries. We use social services to reach out to the unreached with the Gospel of Christ. We also help our graduates establish churches by providing financial and prayer support. In the midst of opposition to evangelism and propagation of Christianity, the Lord helped us to influence the society and win people for Christ through a K-12 school, hospital, children’s home, and are now planning to start a Christian liberal arts and science college. There is nothing impossible with God when we walk by faith and not by sight.

“Therefore, it is imperative that we preach the Gospel of Christ to this generation because this is the day of salvation for all those who believe. Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation.”

Beautiful Feet, Leadership Development

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN GOD SHOW UP IN YOUR MINISTRY IN A SPECIAL WAY?
We are seeing God show up in amazing ways. More people in villages hear about who He is and His Good News. This is all happening through the work of our local partners! We have recently moved to our third generation of disciples in all dialects of the people group to whom we minister. They are actively working to press our vision forward. Despite all the resistance and persecution they face, we are always amazed to hear the stories of how God guides and delivers them!

Training & Job Business Linking Care with Gospel

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN GOD SHOW UP IN YOUR MINISTRY IN A SPECIAL WAY?

We have seen God work in multiple ways through living and working in Thailand. First, we have seen Him work through spontaneous connections of new relationships with local people every week. Second, through the practical opportunities that God has given us, He has used our team to invest in over 450 locals through skill training over the last four years. Last, through our relationships, training, and business development, we continuously have the opportunity to communicate the truth of the Gospel. Through these divine moments, 16 women have made decisions to follow Christ, of which two were this month.

Serving Ethnic Minorities of the Region and Muslims

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN GOD SHOW UP IN YOUR MINISTRY IN A SPECIAL WAY?
When we first started spending time with our Muslim friends, only two or three students would show up, but over the last two years, God has given us and our Chinese brothers and sisters a lot of favor. Now our group has grown to about 20 Muslim students. Other pastors and missionaries in our city with a similar focus have told us that, in two years, God has opened more doors for us than in their last decade.

Senior Pastor at an International Christian Church

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?

We aim to make and mature disciples of Christ who love God, love each other, and love our neighbors. We especially want to see this happen in the missionary and marketplace communities within the city we live in. By God’s grace, we’ve seen many people growing in their faith, missionaries brought to places of health, and folks in the business and education arena equipped for a lifestyle of ministry. Praise God that we’ve seen a growing diversity in our work here as well. At our last members’ meeting, for instance, God brought in four new members from four different countries! We’ve also seen God work to strengthen churches, plant churches, and grant boldness to Believers in the midst of growing government opposition. We have felt and ministered through that opposition. Around us Christians, schools have been closed, churches were kicked out of meeting spaces, and others were shut down completely. One church member was locked in a re-education facility. In all of this, the church continues to cling to Christ.

HOW HAS GOD CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD THROUGH YOUR MINISTRY?
Local Christians (as well as Christians from other, persecuted nations) continue to teach me, impress me, challenge me, humble me, convict me, and stir up in me a desire to follow Christ more closely.

Church Planting, Leadership Development, Evangelism, Care with Gospel

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?
We see that to reach the unreached masses we must be focused on ‘movement-oriented ministry.’ The work has brought me to my knees, overwhelmed me by the great need, and filled me with zeal faith, and hunger to give my life away to make Him known where He is not known, and invite as many people as possible to join us in our expression of the Great Commission. We call it FAMM! God has shown up in amazing ways this season by continuing to open up new doors of ministry in tough-to-reach places. Over the last few months, we exceeded 800 adults baptized per month! We are seeing God show up in how we see a church being planted every 1.5 days across our ministry!!

City Networks Tasmania

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN GOD SHOW UP IN YOUR MINISTRY IN A SPECIAL WAY?
Over the past few years, we have encountered God’s grace in miraculous ways. We saw as He enabled our annual event, Breaking Bread, to move forward when a 100-year flood hit our city. The epicenter of the flood was in the very northern part, the coordination hub of the island-wide event, and our hometown. The churches still came together to serve those afflicted by the flood as well as experience Breaking Bread together as one church, crossing all denominations. Last year, the week of the Breaking Bread event saw my wife ill, my employee had an aneurysm, both hospitalized and more issues to work through. But, God’s grace won the battle, and the event went perfectly. This year, as Fellowship joined us in preparation for the Breaking Bread event, I reached out to have the team praying in advance. Our new home in the south of Tasmania, Hobart, was hit by another 100-year flood in the south, which took out our office! Due to the conviction of the team, the day, again, rolled out seamlessly. These are just a few of the ways God showed up. Lesson: Satan attacks, but we have the covering of Our Almighty Father. Thank you for standing in the gap!

Evangelism, Leadership Development, Church Planting Support

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?
We want to accelerate the spread of the Gospel through local churches all over the world. Our vision for EvangelismSHIFT is a movement of transformed churches across the world whose people have a culture of living as witnesses in their everyday encounters, calling others to respond to Christ.

We see churches re-planted as their leaders begin to live as witnesses in their personal lives, and who now have a clear pathway for developing people all the way from non-churched, to being multiplying disciple-makers on a church planting team.

“I have learned to view every encounter with every person in every circumstance in every day of my life as an encounter I have been SENT INTO by Jesus to help that person take one step closer to Him.” John North

Meet Physical Needs and Share the Gospel, Care for Orphans, Develop & Equip Believers for Kingdom Work

HOW WERE YOU CALLED TO MINISTRY?
We have worked with World Gospel Outreach since December of 1999. We initially became interested in missions at a deeper level when our daughter became interested in becoming a medical missionary when she was 11 years old. When she continued to have this strong interest in high school, we decided to get more involved. During our time on trips to Honduras, the Lord stirred our hearts and showed us that it was us He was calling into this work for the Kingdom. We explain our call as God’s “Bait and switch” because He used our daughter to get our attention about missions and then switched the message to make it evident that we were the ones called. Also, our daughter later felt a release from her call to missions.  

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?

World Gospel Outreach Impacts the faith of Christ followers through serving and evangelizing children and the poor. Our pursuit of this is driven by three Biblical mandates: 1. To care for the poor, especially the widows and orphans (James 1:27) 2. To be fishers of men and to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost (Matthew 4:19) 3. To be accountable before God for how we meet the needs of others (Matthew 25:31-46) .

Equipping Christian Leaders in the Deaf Community/Bible Translation Project Manager, Translations Facilitator

HOW HAS GOD CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD THROUGH YOUR MINISTRY?
In many ways as a missionary serving in the Deaf community, I have spent the last 18+ years working with those who by the world’s standards are “the least of these.” I have learned that whatever “credentials” I had for coming on the field (a master’s degree, sign language skills, experience in Deaf ministry) paled in comparison to the rise of strong Christian Deaf Hondurans with whom I have served alongside. God has entrusted these servant leaders with translating the Word of God into their own heart language, Honduran Sign Language: A Deaf pastor who didn’t know his own name until he was 12-year-old, a Deaf woman who accepted Christ before she ever learned the word of Jesus, a Deaf pastor and project director who returned to school in his early thirties and completed 9th grade, a woman who became the first Deaf person in Honduras to earn a two-year college degree, and a Deaf teacher who became one of the first two Deaf people in the history of Honduras to earn a Bachelor’s degree. It is the heart and desire to place God on the throne of their lives that allows “the least of these” to do great things for His glory.

School, Life Skills Training, Economic Development, Leadership Expansion & Family Life Transformation, Child Sponsorship

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MISSION?
Caleb started Hosean International Ministries back in 1986. He was an undergrad education major at Washington Bible College and had a clear vision for wanting to return to Haiti to create a youth center and any development project possible (ask him about the variety). As he applied to be a missionary with various organizations at the time, those organizations did not accept him because they did not want to “send a national back to their own country.” At the encouragement of his professors and classmates, Caleb began Hosean as a mission organization to “transform lives by pointing people to Jesus Christ through education, life skills training, and economic growth. The rest is, as we say, History of the Lord’s provision and helping others.

Church Planting, Leadership Training

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN GOD SHOW UP IN YOUR MINISTRY IN A SPECIAL WAY?
The most significant and most motivational thing in our ministry is the continued presence of our Heavenly Father. He is always with us. He guides us. He provides for us. He protects us. He consoles us. Without His presence, we could not do anything, but we give thanks for His promise to accompany us always, and that is why we are always confident in the fulfillment of our assigned task of leadership preparation for church planting in Panama and beyond.

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?

To feel called to collaborate with our Creator in the fulfillment of His plans for humanity, and that one day, every language, nation, tribe will together praise Him for eternity!

Holistic Discipleship, Leadership Training, and Church Planting

HOW HAS GOD CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD THROUGH YOUR MINISTRY?
Largely because of a poor and corrupt economy, Albania has one of the highest rates of emigration (people leaving the country) in the world. The vast majority of Albanians live hand-to-mouth and the struggle to make ends meet is very real. The reality has reinforced two realities in us. Number one: this world is not our home! Number two: God is the provider of our ‘daily bread’. It’s in the middle of these two realities we find ourselves striving to build Christ’s church in Albania. Thanks for your prayers and your partnership with us here.

School of Theology, Institute of Church Development, School of 3rd Age

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?
The goal is to serve as an interdenominational, accredited academic institution that serves churches, fellowships, Christian organizations and Christian individuals. The mission of EST is to “equip Christians for effective ministry to strengthen the evangelical movement in Poland.”

HOW HAS GOD CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD THROUGH YOUR MINISTRY?

Ministry practice is part of the EST curriculum in the B.A. program and students are involved in ministry internships that engage them in a wide variety of Christian service both in Poland and other parts of the world. Also, as an accredited school, EST faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to participate in programs that extend across the European Union, which expands their worldview and gives them opportunities to meet people outside of Poland.

Seminary Support, Bible Study Leader

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?
In Colossians 3 we read, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” The mission I share with the Evangelical School of Theology is to ‘equip Christians for effective ministry to strengthen the evangelical movement in Poland.’ My desire is to faithfully serve the Lord and the Polish people through my ministry, as I lead the women’s Bible study and spend time with friends in Wroclaw.

Pastoral Residency Development, Church Planting, Training, and Preparation

HOW WERE YOU CALLED TO MINISTRY?
After serving and being discipled at Fellowship Cabot, God broke our hearts for the state of the evangelical church in western Europe. We now help Italians make disciples, plant churches, and train leaders. Our heartbeat is to share our lives with others and to see a church planting movement that impacts the city and is an encouragement to other Italian leaders as well as the church, Breccia di Roma. Hearts are transformed by the Gospel and testimony of the local church. It is a personal faith, visible as believers seek to serve the city, and live honestly in a corrupt and idolatrous place; a faith committed to the Word of God and the Biblical Gospel, striving to live for the glory of God alone.

Senior Pastor, Church Planter, Seminary Training Center

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN GOD SHOW UP IN YOUR MINISTRY IN A SPECIAL WAY?

We have seen God save university students, adults, and even those who have been far away from Him. We’ve seen new churches start in difficult areas and people called into the ministry. We’ve witnessed new elders being called to our church and the government permit for it to meet publicly. He has sustained us through precarious times and blessed us with His grace upon grace!

HOW HAS GOD CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD THROUGH  YOUR MINISTRY?

Psalm 67 has been our battle cry. Let the nations be glad! We’ve seen men, women, and children come to faith from a variety of backgrounds. Our church is made up of over 60 different nationalities. We’ve seen that God loves people from every tribe and tongue and nation and loves calling people to Himself. This has radically changed how we view people — all are made in the image of God and loved by God. It’s encouraged us to share our faith with everyone and pray for the salvation of all, even from the hardest-to-reach groups.

Church Plant Senior Pastor

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?
The heartbeat of our work is to continue to grow our one-year-old church into an even more powerful and bold witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this Muslim country. Much evangelism and discipleship are happening in the church now, and we’ve grown over 50 percent in the first year. Recently, the government forced us out of the hotel that we were meeting in and into a crowded church building where up to 25 churches now must share space. Our congregation has continued to gather faithfully each week for worship and to meet with one another for mutual discipleship and evangelism. Some are having to travel more than an hour to get to our new meeting space. Even more than before, I understand that each person, no matter what their economic background or nationality is in the image of God and that the Gospel and Scripture have all the answers to life and give the necessary wisdom that they need to have a life pleasing to God.

Church Planting, Leadership Development, Evangelism, Care with Gospel

WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?
We see that to reach the unreached masses we must be focused on ‘movement-oriented ministry.’ The work has brought me to my knees, overwhelmed me by the great need, and filled me with zeal faith, and hunger to give my life away to make Him known where He is not known, and invite as many people as possible to join us in our expression of the Great Commission. We call it FAMM! God has shown up in amazing ways this season by continuing to open up new doors of ministry in tough-to-reach places. Over the last few months, we exceeded 800 adults baptized per month! We are seeing God show up in how we see a church being planted every 1.5 days across our ministry!!

HOW WERE YOU CALLED TO AND WHAT IS THE HEARTBEAT OF YOUR MINISTRY?
When I was in college, I went on an international summer mission project with Cru that changed my life as I learned to walk with and listen to the Holy Spirit. I loved doing ministry and experiencing a different culture. In the following years, I knew the Lord was leading me to full-time ministry, wherever in the world He would send me. The mission of the Jesus Film Project is to give everyone a chance to hear about Jesus in their heart language. Within that, my desire is to equip and empower the Body of Christ around the world to reach their language group. It is so encouraging to see people all over the world committed to reaching their communities!

Cross Cultural Training, Consulting, Resources and Experiences

HOW HAVE YOU SEEN GOD SHOW UP IN YOUR  MISSION IN A SPECIAL WAY?
Since 2010, CULTURELink has trained over 2,000 short-term project leaders that are deploying multiple teams into 122 nations. CULTURELink has strategic partners that our organization oversees in seven nations. We partner with many other ministries to help them fulfill their visions and goals. However, where we rejoice the most is in the individual stories: the orphanage school and network of churches in Kenya that have grown and are now impacting the Muslim community around them with Christ; the missionary in India whose family has been strengthened and restored as we provide pastoral care; the numerous students who have been mobilized around the world and now share stories of God’s work in their hearts; the child bride rescued from being sold into a polygamist marriage; the church plants; the scholarships to orphans; the movement of Inductive Bible Studies across a nation. These stories show how special God is because they are the stories of heart, soul and life change.  

Founder and Senior Pastor for Tiempo de Deus, Leadership Training, Church Strengthening

HOW HAS GOD CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD THROUGH YOUR MINISTRY?
Undoubtedly, when one finishes his studies in a theological seminary, he thinks that he has all the tools to carry out a successful ministry in any place where he has to serve. However, over the years, we realize that although we have much knowledge, we are unarmed of the essential tools that the ministry demands, such as patience, mercy, love, empathic counseling, construction, organizational structure, etc. On the other hand, we have found that the life of people both outside and inside the church is much more difficult than we thought. Many people live in constant conflicts, and undoubtedly the Lord is the ONLY answer to each one of their needs! When we see the true individuals He has called us to through the eyes of Jesus Christ — we find that in His grace, as we pour ourselves out, His Holy Spirit ministers through us